Water discolouration information

Icon Water maintains, protects and renews a water network of about 3,400km of pipes. Some of these pipes are up to 100 years old and can get damaged or burst, so occasionally you might see water discolouration.

What makes the water discoloured? Is discoloured water safe to drink, cook with, bath in, or wash clothes or dishes?

Change in water colour normally occurs when the natural sediment is disturbed within the pipes. Sometimes it can cause water to go brown, reddish colour, white or cloudy or have black specks.

We do not recommend that you drink, bath or cook with discoloured water that appears, tastes or smells objectionable. It’s better not to use household appliances, such as your dishwasher or washing machine due to possible staining or discolouration of clothes.

Discolouration can happen for a number of reasons:

Naturally occurring sediment in our pipes can be disturbed, usually because there’s a sudden increase in water flow such as during a burst or high demand during the drier months.

A water main has burst, and to repair it we need to shut off water and then start it again, which disturbs the sediment in our pipes.

A valve in the network has unexpectedly shut off or open water supply.

A faulty water meter.

Most of the time Icon Water is aware of the fault in the network and we can manage any discolouration before it reaches our customers (change network configuration, flush etc.). Unfortunately, given the amount of mains we look after, we don’t always know there’s an issue with water discolouration, and we rely on our customers to report these incidents. We then track and map these calls to try and identify a cause and get it fixed.

You may also be asked to answer some specific questions in relation to the issue. The more detail you can provide us the faster we can fix the problem.

What can I do when water discolouration happens at my house or work? Can I do anything to help clear discoloured water?

The important thing is not to worry – we have skilled staff who are working on fixing faults as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience throughout a water discolouration event while we find and fix the cause. It might help initially to run the tap closest to the meter (usually front garden tap) for three minutes to clear the water and prevent discolouration from going further into the property. You can collect the water and use it elsewhere such as on the garden.

Generally discoloured water clears with normal water use. If you’ve done this and it’s still discoloured, have a look at our website or Twitter feed, or give us a call 02 6248 3111 (select option 1) for updates about what’s going on.

How long does water discolouration last?

It is really hard to estimate how long water discolouration could last due to the complexity of the water network. Usually discolouration will pass within a few hours once the cause has been found and fixed. Have a look at our website or Twitter feed, or give us a call 02 6248 3111 for up-to-date information.

What other water sources can I use until discolouration clears?

There are a few options you can consider for temporary alternate water sources when you’re experiencing water discolouration, such as:

Ask friends or family in an unaffected neighbourhood if you can use their water

Some people like to keep a jug of water in the fridge just in case they need it

Include a supply of bottled water in your emergency kit.

How does Icon Water find out about water discolouration?

Icon Water usually knows about discoloured water due to the location and nature of the fault and we proactively manage it before it reaches our customers. On occasions, we cannot control the discoloured water before it reaches your tap or we are unaware of the issue causing the problem. In these instances, we rely on you, our customers and community, to report discolouration. Call us on 02 6248 3111 (select option 1) to let us know where and when it’s happening so we can work out why and fix it.

Why doesn’t Icon Water stop water discolouration from happening in the first place?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to prevent your water from being occasionally discoloured. Icon Water manages our network in a way to prevent discoloured water impacting on our customers. We have some projects in place to prevent discoloured water. We also know that you want Icon Water to get the balance right between running the network smoothly, and maintaining the most efficient price for you.

Where can I find more information?

We are committed to providing you with timely updates and information during water discolouration events using Twitter (@iconwater). Where we can, we also issue media releases so you can plan ahead.